Meta's Reality Labs posts $4.4 billion loss in third quarter

Core Insights - Meta Platforms Inc. continues to invest heavily in the metaverse, focusing on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies [1] Financial Performance - In the third quarter, the Reality Labs division reported an operating loss of $4.4 billion, with sales of $470 million, outperforming Wall Street's expectations of a $5.1 billion loss and $316 million in revenue [2] - Since late 2020, Reality Labs has accumulated over $70 billion in cumulative losses, highlighting the significant costs associated with developing VR, AR, and consumer hardware [3] Product Development - The Reality Labs unit is responsible for the Quest-branded VR headsets and AI smart glasses developed in partnership with EssilorLuxottica [3] - The recently launched $799 Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses are the first consumer-ready AI glasses from Meta, featuring a built-in display and a wristband with neural technology [4] Market Response - EssilorLuxottica reported that the AI glasses contributed positively to its sales in the third quarter, indicating a successful product launch [4] - The CFO of EssilorLuxottica noted a significant lift in sales attributed to the Ray-Ban Meta wearables, suggesting a potential shift in Meta's metaverse strategy [5] Leadership Changes - Vishal Shah, previously leading Meta's metaverse initiatives, has transitioned to a vice president role in AI products within the Superintelligence Labs division [5]